Refrigerating apparatus



C. M. SMITH AND H. WEIGAND.

HEFRIGERATING APPARAIUS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 16. 1919.

Patented June .28, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURTIS M. SMITH, OF WASHINGTON. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND HERMANWEIG-AND, OF LA GROSSE, KANSAS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application `filed. January 16, 1919. Serial No. 271,465.

To all 107mm z'z may concern Be it known that we. CURTIS M. SMrrH andHERMAN IVEIGAXD. citizens of thc United States. and residents ofXVaShington, DistrictI of Columbia. and La Crosse. Kansas, respectively.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RefrigeratingApparatus, of which the following is a specific-ation.

Our invention is designed to provide a simple and economical absorbentsystem of refrigeration and to save the various ex! pense in the initialcost and operation in the well known compressor systems and to economizein the known methods of absorption.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing our invention as attached to awell known system of condenser coil receiver and ice tank, while A Fig.2 is a sectional detail of one of the absorbing units.

It has been heretofore proposed in an absorption system to use asubstance such as nitrate of ammonium in a rotatingcylinder receivingthe spent gas` which goes into solution with the nitrate but while sucha system is very effective it requires the rotation of the cylinders inorder to keep the absorption effect-ive and the ammonium nitrate islimited in its absorbing power while we have produced a device by reasonof a different absorption material which requires no movement of thecylinders and which will absorb a largerproportion of the ammonia gasthe absorbent not going into solution.

In the drawing the condensing coil A, the receiver B and the ice tank Care of ordinary or usual construction and the low pressure gas issuesfrom the ice tank through the pipe a. A cylinder b is provided with ahead c and a diaphragm (l, the latter sup-z porting` a series of tubese. The perforated tube 7 is held within each of the tubes e, theperforations being formed by kerfs g and between the walls of the innerand outer tubes we place our absorbent material, which is preferablycomposed of anhydrous calcium chlorid mixed with charcoal of a granularform having a grain about that of coarse ground coffee. The chlorid andcharcoal are mixed dry and are filled in the space between the twotubes. as shown at h', and as the gas flows through the pipe a, i, h,into the space 7. it passes the length of the tubes j' and gains accessthrough the perforations and the end of the tube 7 to the absorbent'material. where it is perfectly and uniformlyabsorbed. After absorptionhas taken 'place to the fullest extent possible the valve Z is closed,so that no more gas enters this unit and hotwater or steam is let inthrough the valve mfrom the steamsupply pipe n and this circulating inthe cylinder around the tubes e will volatilize and drive off theammonia gas and this will pass out through the pipe z. and o to thecondenser and receiver and make the circuitas usual. 7e prefer to havetwo or more units so that while one is absorbing the other isgenerating.

While absorption is taking place the cylinder Z) is cooled by water fromthe pipe p and t-he branch pipes q. A. drain pipe is shown at r. Apressure device `is shown at s.

While we prefer to use a mixture of the anhydrous calcium chlorid andcharcoal preferably charcoal made of peach stones in the proportion ofabout ten per cent. of the charcoal and ninety per cent. of theanhydrous calcium chlorid we do not limit ourselves in this particularas the anhydrous calcium chlorid may be used alone, though it is not aseffective as used with the charcoal, as the latter material keeps thechlorid from packing and makes it more absorbent, and while we might usethe charcoal alone it is not as effective as an absorbent material asthe anhydrous calcium chlorid and hence we prefer .to use the twomaterials in substantially the proportions indicated.

Te are able by the use of our absorbent to carry out the process in avery simple apparatus and very effectively and economically.

We may also employ. instead of the anhydrous calcium chlorid.anotherichemical of the deliquescent chlorid group, namely zinc chlorid,but we prefer the anhydrous calcium chlorid as we find this gives betterresults.

The charcoal prevents the calcium chlorid from packing. Ihen the calciumchlorid is heated it expands and it contracts when cool and unless somemeans is provided such as the charcoal, the calcium chlorid would packinto a mass and lessen the absorption capacity of a given quantity ofthe chlorid.

The charcoal serves vto keep the calcium chlorid in a divided conditionand provides Patented Julie 28, 1921.

for the free access of thegas to all parts of the mass of the chloridWhile holding it in this separated condition.

The calcium chloridis held in a thin layer about the tubes so that thereisjnot more f than one-half inch thickness of calcium chlorid at anypoint, and this assures that 'the lmass of calcium chlorid' will bequickly, afw jfected by the heating and cooling agents.

The charcoal in addition to performing its function as a separatingmeans for the calcium chlorid also serves as an absorbent and as meansby which the gas is conveyed to the particles of the chlorid, sovthatthere Will be no isolated portions of the chlorid which the gascannot reach. When the heat is applied yit drives the gas off from thecharcoal as Well as from the chlorid.

What We claim is: 1.. In an-absorbent ice machine a recep- 1ta'clecontaining a series of containers, each container ,holding anabsorbent material in ieaafie gas to bel absorbed, substantially asdescribed. f

2. ln an absorbent ice machine a cylinder,

a series of containerslocated therein, each container having anabsorbent material with an open center, the'lengt-h of the containers,

Vso that the ammonia gas has ready access to the absorbent material andmeans for heating and cooling the saidcontainers, substantially asdescribed.

3. `ln an absorbent ice machine the combination of Ia chamber,containers Llocated therein, each comprising an outer tube and an innerperforated tube, absorbent material Y cURTis M. SMITH. HERMAN WEiGANn.

' tures.

tubular form, thereby providing an open' center for the easy access. of.the ammonia'

